How do I post "Updates" to my community?
Updates are a key component of your communication with investors -- you can think of this like your own personal newsletter to all your StartEngine investors and followers. Every update you post also sends an email to everyone who has invested in your campaign, or clicked the red “heart” button to follow your campaign. This also includes anyone who has clicked the "Invest Now" button but has not yet finalized their investment. This latter group is very important to reach as they are the people who are the closest to converting into an investor.
It is suggested that you try to post updates 1-2x per week. It’s helpful to try to drum up support and show progress so we suggest posting an update around large milestones:
- Launch announcement
- Campaign progress milestones - 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% funded etc...
- Duration of campaign milestones - 1-week mark, 1-month mark etc.
- Campaign coming to a close (without explicitly saying how many days left) - this will express urgency and encourage those who have not yet finalized their investment to do so before it is too late.
- Closing note and thank you
What are some of the things I should talk about in my updates?
Companies usually don’t post updates frequently because they think they do not have anything noteworthy to say. That is not true! Updates are not just about talking about milestones, but more about keeping these new investors informed and engaged in all aspects of the new venture they have become a part of! Everything from a new product update, to doing a weekly team member spotlight, to a quarterly revenue update are possibilities for your updates -- your community will want to to know what’s going on!
See some examples below:
Jetpack Featured in the News
A news feature is always something that can get investors excited about your company. If others are talking about it, especially news outlets, then it must be something worth looking into.
A team update can create a sense of closeness with investors. By giving them a behind-the-scenes look at your company and the people behind the product, it is a great way to establish a welcoming environment.
Updating investors with new product developments and plans for the company is a way to identify progress being made. It can offer tangible ideas or products that you are working on for investors to get excited about.
Pro Tips for creating a good update:
- Always include a “call to action”
Think about what you would like to accomplish with that specific post and then make sure there is an easy way for the reader to take that action. Include links where applicable so that it is very clear what someone should take away from your update-- i.e.
“make sure to invest while there is still time”, “Share this with your friends”, “if you have not yet finished your investment, make sure to do so!” - Encourage people to share your campaign page
Sometimes laying out exact language that an existing investor can share with their own community is helpful. Remind them that your success is their success so that if they are already investors, encourage them to reach out to their own network. - Make them personal
Many investors will be joining your campaign because they are emotionally excited about your mission. Use your passion for your own business to get others excited about joining the team.
Three more things to consider:
- Additionally, it’s helpful to always include text in your update that mentions sharing the campaign with others, after all, current investors have a vested interest in your campaign being as successful as possible.
- Make sure there is always a clear “call to action” in every update that you post.
A call to action is something like, “make sure to invest while there is still time”, “Share this with your friends, our success is your success”, “if you have not yet finished your investment, make sure to do so!” etc. - Similarly, it is imperative that you respond to comments on your campaign in a timely manner.
People will be asking questions and you want to show you are a dedicated executive as well as able to answer all questions.
To manage all forms of campaign communications, make sure to refer to your campaign options tab. Click here for more information.